


Back and Forth

by Manateequeem



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Falling In Love, Fluff, Idiots in Love, M/M, Pre-Time Skip, Tutoring
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-28
Updated: 2019-10-26
Packaged: 2020-10-30 04:09:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,449
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20808293
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Manateequeem/pseuds/Manateequeem
Summary: Linhardt agrees to tutor Caspar and Caspar pays Linhardt back in small favours.





	1. Sweet Buns

**Author's Note:**

> i am back and no there will be no angst this time i am stopping myself 
> 
> this fic will be purely fluff! very sweet, maybe cliche but fluff nonetheless 
> 
> enjoy!

“Caspar, could I have a word with you?” Byleth spoke from their perch on the desk chair at the head of the Black Eagles’ classroom, navy eyes glancing up from the documents hazardously spread out across their desk.

  
“Sure thing, Professor!” Caspar spoke enthusiastically, gladly meeting with Byleth, expecting praise from his senior. He was a quite a fantastic student, if he were to stroke his own ego.

  
“It’s regarding the most recent exam,” Byleth began, coughing into their hand and glancing at Petra, silently motioning for the other to leave while he spoke with Caspar in private.

  
Caspar did not study for that test. But he didn’t need to, because he was an incredibly bright student and saw no reason to waste valuable training time on an easy written test anyway. “Yeah?” Caspar prodded the other to continue.

  
“Well,” Byleth grabbed a sheet of paper and turned it around to face Caspar, vibrant red marks scribbled all across the sheet, “somehow, you managed to get about five percent correct. That’s less that what Bernadetta got, and she doesn’t even leave her room to attend this class.”

  
“There has to be some sort of mistake, Professor! I come to all your classes!” Caspar exclaimed, running his fingers through his unruly cropped blue hair.

  
“You do, but I doubt how much you really pay attention.” The Professor spoke with an uninterested expression.

  
“Lin isn’t even awake for half your classes, no offense Professor,” Caspar scratched the back of his neck sheepishly, “he must have done worse than me!” Caspar argued, dismissing the well known fact that his green haired friend was surprisingly intelligent for the little amount of time he was actually engaged in class.

  
“You would think that,” Byleth took the paper back from his student, amused, “but he actually got near full marks.” Caspar spluttered as Byleth continued, “Perhaps you should look into having him tutor you.”

  
“Why do I even have to learn any of this stuff? What really matters is going out there and swinging about an axe, not stayi-“

  
“Caspar, you _will_ have to retake this test and it _will_ be in your best interest to have someone tutor you. That’s just the way the system works.”

* * *

  
Linhardt was sprawled out against the green grass of the courtyard, with warms rays of sunshine filtering in through the gaps in the treetops sprinkling light across his napping form, when Caspar found him.

  
“Hey, Lin,” Caspar crouched beside his friend, poking at Linhardt’s cheek to wake the other up, surprised at the softness of his friend’s face. He continued prodding the other’s cheek absentmindedly before a hand slapped his fingers away.

  
“No, Caspar, I will not train with you...” Linhardt slurred sleepily, turning over so he was laying on his side, blades of grass tickling his forehead.

  
Caspar smiled affectionately at his friend, “I’m not asking you to train, I need help with book stuff!” he shoved the other’s shoulder softly- or as softly as he could manage- before the other groaned lightly and cracked open his eyelids, narrowing his eyes at Caspar.

  
“You don’t like ‘book stuff’.” Linhardt spoke suspiciously, eyes scanning Caspar’s expression for any trace of the proposal for help being some sort of dull joke.

  
“Yeah, I _hate_ book stuff,” Caspar clarified, letting his hands fall behind him, supporting his weight, as he continued, “but the Professor told me that I had to get someone to teach me _becauseIfailedthetest_.” Caspar rambled at the end, feeling heat rush to his cheeks in embarrassment.

  
Linhardt was grinning at his friend, and having understood perfectly well what Caspar had just said, he asked the other to repeat himself, “What was that, Caspar?” he yawned, covering his smile with one hand, “I didn’t quite catch the last part.”

  
Caspar’s cheeks were an angry crimson as he spoke louder, “I said,” he breathed in, looking away, “_I failed the test,_ alright!”

  
Linhardt chuckled, “But you were awfully confident that you didn’t need to study.” He placed one hand on Caspar’s shoulder, mocking reassurance. “Something about how ‘_books don’t matter on the battlefield_’?”

  
“And they don’t!” Caspar defended himself stubbornly, “But the Professor doesn’t get that, so you’ve gotta help me out!”

  
“Why me?” Linhardt frowned. Tutoring Caspar seemed like far too much work that would almost certainly eat into his naptime.

  
“Because you’re meant to be my best friend!” Caspar almost shouted, quietening down a bit when Linhardt shushed him, “Sorry,” he continued at a lesser, but still characteristically loud, volume, “besides, you’re the best guy around for book stuff!”

  
“Stop calling it 'book stuff',” Linhardt yawned, repositioning himself from his seat on the grass so he was laying his head on Caspar’s lap instead, “I appreciate the compliment, Caspar, but I only read about things I’m interested in, and the Professor’s lessons are especially dull.”

  
“What are you trying to say?” Caspar asked, looking down at his friend who was reclined on his lap and trying to ignore the fluttering in his chest which were definitely not occurring because he found his friend cute, no, _definitely_ not that.

  
“In short, I’m no better at studying for those tests than you are, Caspar.” He yawned again, wiping a tear from the corner of his eye away, “I simply fall asleep as soon as I try to learn anything.”

  
“But you get basically full marks on every exam!”

  
“Hm, do I?” Linhardt hummed with a smile, realising his bluff to get out of helping his friend had been exposed.

  
“_Asshole_.” Caspar rolled Linhardt off his lap, laughing at how the other hit the grass with a startled expression.

  
“I was just jesting,” the mage groaned, choosing to remain on the grass, “but really, I suppose the topics which come up in the exams are common sense to me, I honestly do not study for them.”

  
“Then we can both learn together!” Caspar clapped his hands together with a sense of pride.

  
“I’m not sure that will be necessary,” Linhardt saw the disappointment on Caspar’s face, and he felt like he had kicked a sad puppy, so he groaned again, rolling over to face Caspar, “Fine.”

  
“Fine what?”

  
“Fine, I'll help you.” He sighed, “Just know that this is completely against my will and I expect something in return. Nothing is free, after all.”

  
Caspar cheered, “Sure thing, Lin!” He stood up and practically skipped back into the Monastery building after bidding Linhardt farewell.

  
“What have I gotten myself into?” Linhardt muttered to himself as he stood up. A long nap would be in order, Caspar really could be absolutely _exhausting_.

* * *

  
Caspar was sat in the market holding a Monastery cat in his arms as he thought about how to repay his friend. He was fully aware of how unwilling his friend was to help him out, or to help anybody out, for that matter, and so he had to think of something good to repay him with. He considered getting Marianne to consent to letting Linhardt study her Crest, but that seemed like a bad idea, even to Caspar. It would probably lead to Lysithea and Hilda running after him with deadly intent. He cringed, he loved a good battle, but those two would annihilate him.

  
“Caspar?” he heard a gentle voice call his name, and he turned around to see Ashe smiling at him, crouching beside him to pat the cat in his lap.

  
“Hey, Ashe, do you know what sort of thing Linhardt would like. As a gift.” Caspar asked absently, scratching behind the white cat’s ear and smiling at the way the small creature purred.

  
“Surely you would know better than I would,” Ashe chuckled, continuing anyway, “but I’m quite certain that he adores those little sweet buns from the dining hall.”

  
“Of course!” Caspar jumped up, almost dropping the cat in excitement, before catching it in his arms again, “I’ll just get him some of those, easy!” Food was always the way to a person’s heart, he nodded his head.

  
He began walking towards the dining hall, before Ashe interrupted him again, “I think they’re all sold out for the day though, the Golden Deer got there early and ate everything in sight.” Which meant that Raphael had been there.

  
Caspar frowned, “What am I meant to do then?”

  
Ashe smiled sweetly, “I could help you make some for him?”

  
“Thanks Ashe, you’re a life-saver!”

* * *

  
_“Ugh,”_ Caspar dropped the whisk in his hand, glaring at the claggy dough in the bowl which faced him mockingly, “this is impossible!” he complained to Ashe, who was busy making the sweet filling to go in the buns.

  
“You just need a bit of patience.” Ashe spoke calmly, continuing to whisk the liquid in his bowl. Caspar grumbled, so Ashe tried to change the conversation, “So why are you making this for Linhardt, anyway?”

  
“He’s going to help me study,” Caspar spoke happily, seemingly having forgotten his earlier frustration as he began working on a new batch of dough, brows furrowed as he attempted to sift the right amount of flour into the bowl (he spilt half of it), “and he demanded I do something in return, so here I am.”

  
“Thats’s...nice?” Ashe had always been slightly confused at the dynamic shared between Caspar and Linhardt, but judging by the spring in Caspar’s step as he marched about the kitchen, he assumed that Caspar enjoyed doing odd jobs and favours for the other, rather than fulfilling what seemed like demands.

  
“Yeah, it _is_ nice!” Caspar agreed, stirring with more energy than before, “It’s the least I could do for him.” He nodded enthusiastically to himself.

  
“You sound like you care for Linhardt a lot, that’s really lovely.” Ashe chirped as he stepped beside Caspar to check how the other was doing. “Maybe I should take over here?” he took the bowl Caspar passed him and finished making the dough.

  
“Of course I care about him,” Caspar dipped his finger into the sweet filling and stuck it into his mouth, smiling at the creamy texture, “we’ve been best friends for basically forever.”

  
Ashe looked at Caspar with a fond smile and shook his head with a chuckle, “What?” Caspar asked.

  
“Oh, it’s nothing.” Ashe continued smiling knowingly as he filled the buns with the liquid, placing them on a metallic tray. “These will be done soon.”

  
“He’s going to love these!” Caspar chirped.

  
Ashe was almost surprised at how oblivious Caspar seemed to be regarding his fond feelings for his best friend. _Almost_. He was dealing with Caspar, after all.

* * *

  
Caspar held the wooden box filled with sweet buns carefully in one of his hands as he knocked on the door to Linhardt’s room. When he didn’t hear a response after five seconds, he decided to let himself in, grabbing the handle and pushing the door open, none too quietly announcing his entrance. He found Linhardt hunched over his desk, books on Crests and the history of Fodlan spread around the small table, so he pushed some books aside to make room for the small box, which he set down at the corner of the table.

  
“Linhardt, _Lin_, wake up-“ he shook the scholar’s shoulders to wake the other up, smiling when he heard a sleepy grumble from beneath an unruly mop of green.

  
“_What now_?” Linhardt muttered, voice muffled by his hair which completely shielded his face from his friend. Caspar reached forwards to brush a few silky locks behind Linhardt’s ear so he could see the other properly, who now had their eyes open.

  
“I got you something,” Caspar grinned, not noticing the dusting of pink covering Linhardt’s cheeks in the candlelight. It had gotten dark by the time the sweet buns were prepared, with Caspar baking them for longer than Ashe had advised, to ‘crisp them up’. He had to start from scratch after that, begging Ashe to help him again. He took the wooden box and placed it in front of Linhardt, who was still laying his head against his arms which were folded against the desk.

  
“What’s the bow for? Very romantic, Caspar, I’m impressed.” Linhardt snorted, eyeing the pink bow wrapped around the box, he sat up now, leaning against one hand which was supported by the desk at his elbow.

  
“I’m the one giving gifts here, no comments please!” Caspar blushed as he untied said ribbon, lifting the lid off the box. “Here, have one.”

  
Linhardt hummed, shaking his head, “I’d rather not move, I’m extremely comfortable right now, in fact, I could probably fall asleep again.”

  
Caspar frowned, then he took out one sweet bun and held it near Linhardt’s mouth, “Here, open up.”

  
“Caspar, what are you-“

  
“_Just eat it and it won’t be embarrassing_!” Caspar spoke through his flush and Linhardt glanced up at Caspar before taking a hesitant bite. He chewed slowly for a moment and then swallowed. “So?” Caspar prompted the other.

  
“Not bad.” Linhardt smiled. Caspar took that to mean they were good and he grinned back.

  
“Cool! You’ve got some of it on your face, by the way.” Caspar motioned where the crumbs were on his own face, and watched as Linhardt pawed sleepily at his cheek.

  
“No, not th- _here_, let me.” He brushed his thumb on Linhardt’s chin, wiping the crumbs away. “_This is so embarrassing_.” He groaned, covering his face with his hands.

  
“Why did you make me these?” Linhardt asked as he held the bun in his own hand this time, taking another bite and deciding to ignore Caspar’s previous comment.

  
“You know,” Caspar began like it was the most obvious thing in the world, “because you said you would tutor me? At a cost?” He took a bun himself and bit into the sweet pastry. They really were quite nice, he would have to thank Ashe again later.

  
“Oh,” Linhardt frowned, combing his fingers through his long hair, “I forgot all about that. And here I thought my old friend Caspar was baking for me out of the kindness of his own heart.” He joked.

  
“I’ll see you tomorrow for my first lesson?” Caspar grinned.

  
“I suppose so.” He sighed, as he finished the sweet bun. 


	2. Kicked Out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Woah, Lysithea! You’re insane! Don’t aim that at us!” Caspar grabbed his satchel and quickly stuffed his book in, taking hold of Linhardt’s wrist and leading him out of the library before they would both face Lysithea’s wrath.
> 
> “I expected something like that would happen.” Linhardt half-laughed once they had both scurried down the steps, keeping a safe proximity from the library.
> 
> “She's crazy! And terrifying, geez!” Caspar chuckled as they walked through the Monastery grounds. 
> 
> Linhardt hummed, “For once, I agree with you.” If he noticed that Caspar’s fingers were still wrapped around his wrist, he chose not to mention it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> chapter 2 babeys 
> 
> had to stick lysithea in this chapter bc i love her and her being mean to ppl is a fat mood lmao

  
“Linhardt!” Caspar waved his friend over happily, as the sleepy scholar ambled into the dimly lit library with a frown adorning his features.

  
“It’s far too early for any of this.” Linhardt muttered as he none too gently plopped down on to the chair opposite Caspar, immediately resting his cheek on his fist.

  
“It’s three in the afternoon, Lin. We’ve already had two lectures today!”

  
Lysithea shushed Caspar from her perch at the desk adjacent to the duo, a firm line set between her brows as she glared daggers at Caspar, who remained oblivious to her irritation.

  
Linhardt simply shook his head, speaking in a muted voice, “Perhaps you’ve had two lectures, but for me, I just woke up,” he yawned into his sleeve, “so I will repeat myself, it really is far too early for any of this.” Before Caspar could make a remark on his friend’s laziness, Linhardt cut him off, “So, what did you want to learn? I must warn you again, I will likely prove no good in tutoring you, maybe it would be best to ask Lysithea over ther-“

  
“Not a chance. I’d rather not be involved in babying two imbeciles.” The white hair mage spat, tilting her nose up as she spoke.

  
“Hey!” Caspar stood from his chair, but Linhardt immediately ushered Caspar back down into a sitting position, hands grabbing the other’s wrists and pulling him down.

  
“Don’t mind her, she’s always like that. It was worth a try though...” he lazily directed his gaze back to Caspar who was puffing his cheeks out.

  
“You’ve gotta take this seriously, Lin! You promised to help!” Caspar banged his fist onto the table.

  
“_Okay, okay_. Stop being so noisy though, this is a library after all, and Lysithea looks just about ready to skin us both alive, so I’m kindly requesting that you shut up.” Lysithea seemed to be pleased by that and looked back towards her book.

  
“Fine.” Caspar reached down to pull a book named ‘_A Beginner’s Guide to Faith Magic_’ out from the satchel by his feet, dropping the dense book onto the table. “The Professor wants me to learn faith magic, but I don’t get any of it.” Caspar spoke sullenly.

  
“Why do they want you to learn magic, you’re atrocious at anything that doesn’t involve brute force.” Linhardt murmured thoughtfully as he flicked through the bland book.

  
“Right?!” Caspar agreed vehemently, covering his mouth quickly in an attempt to not be so loud. He was finding it reasonably difficult, considering how boisterous he was on a daily basis. “It was something about how I might have a hidden talent, or whatever the Professor said. I dunno, it doesn’t matter though, because I’ve gotta learn what’s in this book either way.”

  
Linhardt nodded sagely, “It isn’t that hard, I’m sure even you can grasp what’s in this book.”

  
“What’s that supposed to mean, huh?!” Caspar provoked the other, leaning over the table in an attempt to intimidate his much taller friend.

  
“Nothing, nothing. Let’s just get this over with.” Linhardt sighed, rotating the book to Caspar could see. “When this section vaguely refers to ‘letting the warmth flow through your body’, I believe that it is attempting to explain how you simply are meant to allow the spark of magic which flows through your veins reach your fingertips. Then you should find it quite easy to heal someone.”

  
Caspar’s brows were furrowed in a way which Linhardt would not yet admit he found adorable, “You’re explaining it way worse than the book does.” He groaned.

  
“I did warn you, I’m no good at teaching others.” Linhardt frowned back at Caspar.

  
“He did warn you.” Lysithea chimed in, and Caspar shot her a glare and she grinned slyly, returning to her book.

  
“Here,” Linhardt grabbed Caspar’s hands into his own, disappointment washing off from the blue haired boy’s face. A gentle white aura glowed around Linhardt’s palms as he closed his eyes in concentration. Caspar admired the way his long green lashes brushed against his fair cheeks, casting stark shadows onto the skin in the dim candlelight.  
“Caspar, are you listening?” Linhardt broke Caspar out of his thoughts, blue eyes now gazing intently into Caspar’s lighter ones.  
“Wh- yeah, what did you say again?” Caspar fluttered, enjoying the warmth surrounding his own palms.

  
_“I said_,” Linhardt sighed, repeating himself, “try to draw out a similar warmth from your fingertips, like I am now.” The cooling magic dissipated and Caspar found himself disappointed that Linhardt retrieved his hands with the magic.

  
“Okay,” Caspar mumbled as he clenched his eyes shut in concentration, and much less elegantly clenched his fists and unclenched them, trying to draw something out. He couldn’t even feel a spark, “I can’t do it!” he exclaimed, slamming the book shut.

  
“You barely even tried, Caspar.” Linhardt spoke with a deadpan expression, eyes drooping in drowsiness.

  
“Uh, yeah I did try!” _And he really did!_

  
“Alright, that is _enough_!” Lysithea shouted at a volume which could rival even Caspar, “Take your hand-holding and shouting somewhere else, you pathetic failures!” She stood up, fire magic glowing in her open palm, illuminating the stern, and perhaps even manic, expression on her face. “Some of us are actually trying to study here!”

  
“Whoa, Lysithea! You’re insane! Don’t aim that at us!” Caspar grabbed his satchel and quickly stuffed his book in, taking hold of Linhardt’s wrist and leading him out of the library before they would both face Lysithea’s wrath.

  
“I expected something like that would happen.” Linhardt half-laughed once they had both scurried down the steps, keeping a safe proximity from the library.

  
“She's crazy! And terrifying, geez!” Caspar chuckled as they walked through the Monastery grounds.

  
Linhardt hummed, “For once, I agree with you.” If he noticed that Caspar’s fingers were still wrapped around his wrist, he chose not to mention it.

  
Caspar huffed, leading his friend around a corner, “Where should we continue this, then?”

  
“Are we still going through with this tutoring scheme, then?” Ashe and Ingrid smiled at the two as they passed them, and Caspar couldn’t help but think that Ashe looked awfully happy as they walked by, an uncharacteristically sly smile on his face. Weird. “The Cathedral would be fitting, I suppose. Considering we’re learning about faith.”

  
They crossed the bridge to the Cathedral and stood to wait for the gate to be opened for them both. “Do you need to believe in the Goddess to be good at faith magic?” Caspar asked impulsively as they waited.

  
“Do you really think that I care much for the Goddess?” Linhardt asked, turning to look at Caspar.

  
Caspar chuckled, “I’ll take that as a ‘no’.” When the gate had been lifted, Caspar pulled Linhardt forward, leading him into the vast Cathedral. Mercedes greeted the two, eyes dancing playfully as she glanced at their connected hands and then back up to Caspar’s face. A blush erupted on Caspar’s face as he suddenly let go of Linhardt’s wrist.

  
“Caspar?” Linhardt frowned in confusion.

  
“Let’s go sit over there!” Caspar spluttered, pointing to a bench in the middle of the hall.

  
Linhardt followed Caspar, “Hm, okay.” They both sat at a pew, and Caspar rested the open book on their laps. “We won’t be needing this book, it’s full of inaccuracies.” Linhardt spoke confidently, taking the book from their laps and placing it beside him. “Try again with what I taught you earlier.”

  
Caspar nodded, “I’ll get it for sure this time!” he announced. He closed his eyes again, and took Linhardt’s wrist into his hand, pressing the fingertips of his other hand onto the soft skin, hoping for the glow of white magic to grace his palm. After a few minutes of concentration to no avail, Caspar groaned, opening his eyes again, looking at Linhardt, who had his eyes shut and was breathing slowly. Napping.

  
“Urgh, I can’t do it!” Linhardt woke up with a start to Caspar’s complaining, “_Stupid Goddess_ can’t even bless me with some faith magic in her _own damn Cathedral!”_

  
Caspar felt a dozen eyes land on him as soon as he said that, and Linhardt sighed again, feeling that the two would need to make another speedy escape. “Caspar!” Mercedes gasped, covering her mouth with her hand.

  
“Uh, hi again, Mercedes...” Caspar replied awkwardly.

  
“What you just said was near blasphemous.” Mercedes spoke sternly, “I’m going to have to ask that you leave.”

  
“You don’t own this place!” Caspar retorted, but Linhardt held him by his hand, already grabbing the book and satchel, preparing to get up.

  
“Come on, Caspar, let’s just go before she sets Seteth on us.”

* * *

  
“I have a headache now.” They both stood hunched over in a back-alley of the Monastery, catching their breath after a particularly exhilarating chase involving Caspar, Linhardt and Ferdinand- who Mercedes set after them.

  
“At least we finally lost him,” Caspar wheezed, supporting his weight with one palm against the brick wall, while thee other held on to his knee for dear life.

  
Linhardt slumped against the wall, plopping to the ground and bringing his knees in close to his chest, “Oh, that man can run for days.” He remembered vividly how Ferdinand chased him around in an attempt to get the lazy boy to do some daily training. “I wouldn’t be surprised if he turned around the corner and found us now.”

  
“Ugh, don’t say that, I don’t think I can stand another person attacking us today.” Caspar grimaced, going to sit down beside his friend. “You can lay your head down on me, if you want.”  
Linhardt hummed, “Would that be my payment for today’s session? Because if that’s the case, then I’m awfully disappointed, because I could lay down my head there for free.”

  
“Not up to scratch for you, eh?” Caspar smoothed the back of his hair down the best he could while he thought of an ample reward for Linhardt’s services, despite how useful they may or may not have been. “Want me to massage your head? I make a _mean_ masseuse.”

  
“Well, if you’re offering, who am I to refuse?” Linhardt scooted over so he was sitting between Caspar’s legs, leaning his head against the shorter boy’s chest as he felt cool fingers weave into his hair, pressing into his scalp. He melted into the massage, enjoying the sensation of the dexterous fingers applying pressure to various parts of his head.

  
“_Ow_, you weren’t lying when you said you were mean.” Linhardt hissed when Caspar squeezed his head slightly too much. “That means stop squeezing so hard, Caspar.” Linhardt clarified after his previous comment only seemed to encourage Caspar further.

  
“Oh, sorry!” Caspar tried to concentrate, feeling slightly pre-occupied with the way his friend was relaxing against him, light blush dusting his features as he sighed happily as Caspar worked. He felt his fingertips warm up as he concentrated on easing his friend’s headache, and focused his eyes on the glowing white light of faith magic on his palms. It was a meagre light, but it was there all the same.

  
“That feels really good, Caspar.” Linhardt yawned, nuzzling backwards into Caspar’s chest.

  
Caspar laughed awkwardly, willing away the deep blush on his face and praying to the Goddess he insulted earlier that Linhardt wouldn’t turn around. “I told you I was good at this, Lin.”

  
Faith magic continued to pour out of his fingers and he heard Linhardt’s breathing slow and even out, his warm figure slumping against Caspar’s.

  
Perhaps learning faith magic wasn’t so useless after all, Caspar thought as he let his head rest on Linhardt’s shoulder, shutting his eyes and falling into a peaceful nap with his friend.

* * *

  
“Are you sure it’s okay to leave them there?” Ingrid asked Ashe cautiously, gazing at the two slumbering forms who were surrounded by cats and kittens of various shades.

  
“Trust me, they’re perfectly fine.” Ashe smiled knowingly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> lol my plan for this chapter was 3 lines and consisted of:
> 
> Help study faith magic kicked out of library by lysithea  
Go to cathedral get kicked out by mercedes  
Massage head SQUEEEEEEEEEZE
> 
> on another note, thank u for reading! lovely comments and feedback really make my day!


	3. Detention

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “And how much do you think about him?” Linhardt thought that Sylvain looked too smug for his own good. If he were one for violence, perhaps he would like to punch that look off his face, but that was more of Caspar’s style. Linhardt recalled fondly how the other boy had punched someone in the face because he claimed they were ‘looking at Lin funny’. Back to the matter at hand, Linhardt didn’t see what Sylvain was- oh. Maybe he did think of the other more than he was willing to admit to.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i completely forgot about this fic oops
> 
> enjoy this chapter! :D

The warm embrace of sleep washed over Linhardt as he pressed his head against the hard wooden desk, hair draped messily over his face. Sure, he was hunched over in an unnatural manner which was definitely not good for his posture, but he prized himself on his ability to fall into a deep sleep just about anywhere. However, he was quickly snapped out of his nap and the sound of a certain student’s voice.

  
“Hey, Linhardt.” Sylvain whispered, twisting from his position at the desk he was sat at to face Linhardt, who was slouched behind him.

  
“What?” he replied coldly, not bothering to open his eyes, knowing exactly who was pestering him.

  
“Alright princess, no need to be so harsh.” Sylvain laughed. Linhardt didn’t dislike the redhead per say, or at least he didn’t before this instance, but every second longer Sylvain continued to interrupt his afternoon nap, the more ready he was to cast a wind spell at him and be done with it. “I was just going to ask you a question. It’s not really a question actually, I’m just gonna bring something up.”

  
Linhardt frowned as the other continued to talk. He was well accustomed to chatterboxes, he had to deal with Caspar for ten odd years, but for some reason, Sylvain was really getting on his nerves in a way which Caspar didn’t when he rambled on. That was awfully curious, Linhardt thought, perhaps it would be something to look into. It was most likely down to the fact that Cas-

  
Sylvain broke Linhardt out of his thoughts, continuing to speak even when he wasn’t graced with a reply from Linhardt. “So, I hear from Ingrid that you’ve been helping Caspar out recently.”

  
“Yes, I have been.” Linhardt opened his eyes to shoot Sylvain a funny look. “What about it?”

  
“Oh, _nothing_.” Sylvain wiggled his eyebrows in a suggestive way, reminding Linhardt of why Dorothea and pretty much every other girl found him so insufferable.

  
“I’m tutoring him. Or well, I’m trying to tutor him.”

  
“Oh really?” Sylvain had a cat-like grin slowly spreading across his face, “Because from what I’ve heard, people have seen the two of you prancing about hand-in-hand near the Cathedral. I wonder what that was all about then.”

  
Linhardt opened his mouth to reply, quickly shutting it as he thought over what he was going to say. Sylvain wasn’t wrong, they had held hands on occasion, but that was an intimacy which came with being best friends, right? Besides, the two of them weren’t exactly holding hands the other day, they were instead being chased out of the _damn Cathedral_ and hands were only held in the sense that Linhardt was dragging Caspar along. Yes, that was the answer. Sylvain was reading far too deep into these things.

  
“I don’t know which sources are telling you these things, but-“

  
“That’s all for today everyone.” Byleth announced, interrupting Linhardt’s angry whispering at Sylvain, dismissing the class. Linhardt began to pack his things up- which wasn’t much considering he’d been fast asleep for most of the lesson- before Byleth stopped him. “Linhardt, Sylvain.” The professor glanced at the both of them, “Since you two were so keen on chatting during my class, you can spend detention together. I'm sure you'll have plenty of time to talk then."

  
“Wh- _Professor_, I didn’t even want to talk to him, I was trying to nap.” Linhardt retorted.

  
“That isn’t much better.” Sylvain snickered.

  
“No excuses. I expect this classroom to be clean by the time I return in an hour.” Byleth finished before happily walking out the doors, leaving the pair in the classroom.

  
“Great job, Sylvain. Just _fantastic_.” Linhardt murmured sarcastically as he plopped back down at his desk, letting his head fall on his folded arms.

  
“Hey, we’re both at fault here! Besides,” he motioned at Linhardt’s lazing form, “are you not gonna help me clean.”

  
There was a pregnant pause before Linhardt replied, “No, I’d rather not get up.”

  
“Come on, yo-“

  
“Hey, Linhardt.” Linhardt felt a soft touch at his shoulder, so he turned his head slightly to be greeted with Caspar’s bright smile and all the annoyance he felt previously dissipated for a moment. Again, that must have been because anyone other than Sylvain would be preferable company.

  
“Yes, Caspar?” he replied easily.

  
“Well, since you got detention now, I’m guessing today’s tutoring session is off. So I’ll see you after this?”

  
Linhardt hummed, nodding with a smile. He felt so relaxed he could almost fall asleep again. Almost. He could still feel Sylvain’s prying eyes on him which was rather off-putting.

  
“I could help clean up if you want?” Caspar offered.

  
“It’s okay, that won’t be needed.” Sylvain replied before Linhardt could even open his mouth, leaving Caspar looking a bit confused with his brow furrowed. “We’ve got this covered, buddy.”

  
“Uh, okay then. In that case, I’ll see you later, Lin.” 

  
“Bye.” He let his eyes shut again. Maybe he would be able to nap now, he felt awfully fuzzy and warm inside.

  
Caspar smiled, squeezing his friend’s shoulder one last time before heading to the door. Linhardt found himself missing the touch, but he ignored that. “Oh, bye Sylvain!” he left the classroom, letting the door shut behind him and leaving Sylvain and Linhardt alone.

  
“Okay, that is exactly what I was talking about!” Sylvain hit his hand against the desk Linhardt was trying to sleep at with a thud. Ugh, this hour was going to be a nightmare, wasn’t it?

  
“What are you talking about?” he rubbed his eyes languidly, choosing to sit up now. Perhaps if he helped Sylvain clean up, they would be able to leave earlier and then he could sleep without interruption. Or see Caspar, maybe.

  
“Uh- _that whole interaction_!” Sylvain spoke like it was the most obvious thing in the world. “You were way nicer to him than you’ve ever been to anyone!”

  
Was he? It wasn’t like he was intentionally outwardly mean to anyone, he wasn’t Hubert. And he didn’t exactly try to be kinder to Caspar than anyone else. “I don’t know what you’re talking about...”

  
Sylvain must have felt some sort of pity at Linhardt’s genuine confusion, as he sighed dramatically before pulling a chair over so he was sitting opposite of Linhardt. “I’m gonna explain it to you then. When you’re with Caspar, do you find yourself staring at him for a little longer than is generally thought of as normal.”

  
Linhardt thought about that, quickly finding that the answer was yes. And who could blame him? Whenever he saw Caspar, he felt warm and fuzzy inside, his bright eyes and sunny smile drawing Linhardt in. And perhaps he would stare in a way which others would describe as ‘dazed’, but again, he didn’t see how someone wouldn’t stare at Caspar.

  
“I’ll take your lack of a response as a yes.” Sylvain chuckled at the downwards pull of the corners of Linhardt’s lips. “The next thing,” Sylvain continued, acting like he was some sort of love guru who didn’t get rejected by girls more often than he would be comfortable sharing, “any lingering touches?”

  
Linhardt thought back to the still-tingling feeling in his shoulder from where Caspar had touched him earlier. But that didn’t mean anything. “Yes, but-“

  
“And how much do you think about him?” Linhardt thought that Sylvain looked too smug for his own good. If he were one for violence, perhaps he would like to punch that look off his face, but that was more of Caspar’s style. Linhardt recalled fondly how the other boy had punched someone in the face because he claimed they were ‘_looking at Lin funny_’. Back to the matter at hand, Linhardt didn’t see what Sylvain was- _oh_. Maybe he did think of the other more than he was willing to admit to.

  
Sylvain grinned, “It’s as I thought.” He leaned back into his chair, taking in the flustered look on Linhardt’s face.

  
“None of that means anything.” And it didn’t!

  
“Yeah, okay. You’re a smart guy, Linhardt, and it doesn’t take a genius to figure out what all these symptoms add up to.”

  
“Don’t call them symptoms, you make it sound like an illness.” Linhardt continued to humour Sylvain, desperately trying to distract himself from his whirlwind mind and the fact that maybe he did like Caspar in the way Sylvain was implying.

  
“Well, some do call love a sickness of the heart.” Sylvain folded his arms behind his head as he stood up, grabbing a cloth to wipe at the chalkboard. Was Linhardt's mind not otherwise occupied, he would comment on the fact that no one called love a sickness of the heart. However, this was not the case, and his mind was going into overdrive.

  
_Love_. Was Linhardt truly in love? Surely by Sylvain’s definition he was, he stared at Caspar for longer than strictly necessary even for best friends, he longed for his lingering touches whenever they held hands and his mind was constantly overrun by the thought of the blue haired boy. It wouldn’t be ridiculous to pin those feelings down as love. In fact, it would be _more_ ridiculous to suggest that they were anything but love!

  
“As much as I hate to admit this,” Linhardt began slowly, getting Sylvain’s attention, “I suppose you’re right. I do feel that way about Caspar, maybe.” He finished uncertainly.

  
“I mean, I already knew that,” Sylvain smiled, “but it must feel good to get it out there, right?”

  
“Truth be told, these feelings never occurred to me until just now. I think everything you talked about just felt so natural to me.” He would need some more time to mull over these newfound feelings, he thought, standing from his perch.

  
“Happy to help.” Sylvain quickly lost his smile ad Linhardt was stood by the door, “Where are you going?”

  
“I have some important thinking to do, please do tell that to the Professor when they return.” He ignored Sylvain’s spluttering, “Thanks again, Sylvain.”

  
“This is detention! You can’t just leave!”

* * *

  
Linhardt found Caspar sitting beneath his favourite nap-tree, frowning cutely at a book sprawled across his legs. He didn’t censor his description of Caspar anymore, instead admitting to himself that he did find the little pout of Caspar’s lips and his creased brow of confusion damn near adorable.

  
“Do you need some help with that?” he crouched so he could sit beside Caspar, leaning over the other’s shoulder to look at the book he was reading. It was related to gambits this time. Linhardt certainly didn’t have the highest grade in authority in their class, but he definitely knew more about gambits than Caspar did.

  
“Oh, Lin! Detention already over?” Caspar smiled, looking up from his book.

  
“...In a sense, yes.” Linhardt chose to withhold the information that he’d ditched Sylvain to face Byleth’s wrath alone. It wasn’t important, anyway.

  
“Ok, cool.” Caspar was toying with some grass by his legs, tearing blades from the ground and sprinkling them onto his hand. “What did you and Sylvain talk about?” he asked, not looking directly at Linhardt.

  
“Romance.” He answered vaguely. It was almost comedic how quickly Caspar raised his head at this, almost bashing Linhardt’s chin with his hard skull.

  
“R-Romance?” He asked, heat rising to his cheeks. That was awfully curious.

  
“Yes, Caspar. Romance.” Linhardt laughed, “Mind you, it was awfully dull.” He lied, it was a rather enlightening conversation, but Caspar didn’t need to know that yet.

  
“Okay,” he answered quietly, and there was a pause for a moment, “like romance between you both, or-“

  
Linhardt couldn’t contain his laughter at that, and he covered his mouth, finally catching his breath before replying to an utterly lost looking Caspar, “Don’t be ridiculous, Caspar.” He coughed and Caspar looked slightly less worried, letting his stiff shoulders relax.

  
“Good,” he sighed in relief, “I’ve been worried since I left you two alone that he’d make a move on you, or something!”

Now this was certainly very, _very_ curious. “Why would you be worried about that?”

  
Caspar’s eyes widened slightly and he clamped a hand over his mouth, “No reason! Can you help me with this book on, uh-“

  
“Gambits.” Linhardt finished lazily. He wasn’t disappointed that Caspar wasn’t a little jealous. Not at all. He wasn’t exactly sure what that blush of Caspar’s meant yet, but he was sure that he would figure it out soon enough. Until then, he supposed that he would be content with his own feelings for Caspar.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you for reading! (i love comments and kudos :0)

**Author's Note:**

> thank you for reading! 
> 
> comments and kudos are always appreciated and make me very happy :)
> 
> come talk to me on tumblr @manateequeem about these two if u want to :D


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